Methods of ornamenting pliable sheet material

ABSTRACT

IN ORNAMENTING PLIABLE SHEET MATERIAL , A SURFACE AREA THEREOF IS PROVIDED WITH A LAYER OF MASKING MATERIAL AND SUBJECTED TO PRESSURE FROM A CUTTING DIE TO SEVER THE LAYER AND INDENT THE SHEET MATERIAL ALONG LINES DEFININGAREA PORTIONS TO BE COLORED. THE MASKING LAYER IS REMOVED FROM THE AREA PORTIONS WHICH ARE THEN SPRAY COATED, AND THEREAFTER THE REMAINING MASKING LAYER IS REMOVED. THE MATERIALS ADJACENT THE EDGE OF THE CUTTING DIE ARE HEATED DURING PRESSURE THEREOF TO PROMOTE SEVERANCE OF THE LAYER AND THE FIXATION OF THE EMBOSSMENT SO THAT THE AREA PORTIONS ARE SHARPLY DEFINED AND STAND OUT HANDSOMELY. THE HEATING IS EFFECTED BY EMANATIONS FROM THE DIE, SUITABLE IN THE FORM OF A HEAT FLUX OR AN RF FIELD BUT PREFERABLY BOTH.

S. A. VINTER May 11,1911

METHODS OF QRIEIAMENTING PLIABLE SHEET MATERIAL I Filed Oct. 1', 19 68 3Sheets-Sheet 1 I ll 1 J In men tor SidneyArf/wr V'nfer By his Aim/"naryfave 61 w M y 1971 s. A. VINTER 3,573,480

METHODS OF ORNAMENTING PLIABLE SHEET MATERIAL Filed Oct. 1, 1968 5Sheets-Sheet 2 May 11, 1971 A, TER 3,578,480

METHODS OF ORNAMENTING PLIABLE SHEET MATERIAL Filed Oct. 1, 1968 3Shee.ts$heet 5 United States Patent US. Cl. 117-4 3 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE In ornamenting pliable sheet material, a surface areathereof is provided with a layer of masking material and subjected topressure from a cutting die to sever the layer and indent the sheetmaterial along lines defining area portions to be colored. The maskinglayer is removed from the area portions which are then spray coated, andthereafter the remaining masking layer is removed. The materialsadjacent the edge of the cutting die are heated during pressure thereofto promote severance of the layer and the fixation of the embossment sothat the area portions are sharply defined and stand out handsomely. Theheating is elfected by emanations from the die, suitably in the form ofa heat flux or an RF field but preferably BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONField of the invention This invention relates to improvements in methodsof ornamenting pliable sheet materials.

Description of the prior art Many articles of manufacture fabricatedfrom pliable sheet materials are considered to be aesthetically morepleasing if provided with ornamentation. There is a demand, for example,in ladies apparel, that articles of manufacture such as band bags,shoes, suit cases, which may be fabricated from pliable sheet materialssuch as leather, vinyl sheet material, substitute leathers, etc.; beprovided with a decorative finish. Such decoration may be provided by apre-cut pattern of a dilferent material or color being stitched or stuckonto the article.

One method of providing a sheet of pliable material with a decorativefinish is to cover part of the material with a masking tape in a mannerleaving an area uncovered, which areas is then sprayed or painted with adifferent material or material of a different color. After an intervalof time, the masking tape is removed. However,

it is frequently dilficult to provide a clean edge to the patternobtained, and usually a pattern is provided which is flat and which maybe considered uninteresting.

Providing a decorative pattern by an embossing process frequentlyprovides a pattern which is considered particularly pleasing because itappears to stand out. It is, however, difiicult to adapt this method toprovide an embossed pattern with provision in the pattern, of a materialor color different from that of the base material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION adhesive. The sheet material with a surfaceportion so masked is then placed in a press in which a die is pressedagainst the surface while the materials adjacent the edge of the cuttingdie are heated. The die severs the layer of masking material along itsline of contact therewith and also indents the surface of the sheetmaterial to provide thereon an embossed pattern effect. To promote suchseverance, and to fix the embossment, the materials adjacent the cuttingedge of the die are heated. Preferably the die is electrically heated,heating the materials by conduction, largely promoting the severance andin appreciable degree the fixation, and also, while the die is thus heldunder pressure against the surface of the sheet material, an RF electricfield is established between the die and a work support on which thesheet material is supported. The sheet material is subjected to thisfield for a controlled time interval; this largely promotes the fixationof the embossment. The time interval is variable according to the natureof the sheet material being operated upon and according to the depth ofindentation desired.

The sheet material is then removed from the press and portions of thelayer of masking material are removed along the lines of severance, thusto uncover portions of the surface of the sheet material which are to becolored, and the sheet material is then presented for a sprayingoperation. Any suitable coloring medium, e.g., a cellulose based paint,can be used. When the sprayed sheet material has been allowed to dry,the remainder of the layer of masking material is removed.

A shoe upper component thus ornamented has a clearly defined patternfrom the point of view not only of coloration but also of embossing. Theembossed and colored area has sharply defined, indented edges andappears to stand out rather than having a flat and uninterestingappearance.

While the above pleasing effect may to some extent be provided by theabove method in which either the RF field or the heating of the cuttingdie is omitted, both of these forms of heating by emanations from acutting die contribute to the overall effect.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the inventionwill best be understood from the following description, to be read withreference to the accompanying drawings, of the illustrated method. Itwill be understood that this illustrative method has been selected fordescription by way of exemplification of the invention and not by way oflimitation thereof.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a right hand side view of a press suitable for use in carryingout the illustrative method;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pattern die suitable for use incarrying out the illustrative method;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a portion of a shoe upper component afterhaving been ornamented in accordance with the illustrative method; and

'FIG. 4 is a diagram showing pneumatic and electrical control circuitsof the press shown in FIG. 1.

In carrying out the illustrative method a plain leather shoe uppercomponent U has a lightly adherent masking layer applied to the toe andforepart portions thereof. Suitably the layer may be masking tape of aplasticized PVC having a low elongation at break and coated with apressure sensitive adhesive on one surface thereof, the adhesiveproviding a tensile adhesion of less than 15 p.s.i. to facilitateremoval.

The component U thus provided with a masking layer is then placed on awork supporting table 10 of the press shown in FIG. 1 and the table 10is moved manually rearwardly along guideways formed in a main housing 12of the press to carry the component beneath a die 14 carried at thelower end of a ram 16, the ram being movable heightwise towards and awayfrom the table by means of a rocking lever 18 supported by the mainhousing and connected at one end to the ram and at the other to a pistonrod 20 of a piston and cylinder arrangement C2 mounted on the housing12. The die 14, which may be made of brass, is mounted on a plate 22secured, by a dovetail arrangement, to an under-surface of a block 24which is carried by a plurality of insulators 26 on a further block 28secured to the lower end of the ram 16. The block 24 is connected to anRF generator (not shown except in FIG. 4) and the guideways for thetable 10 are connected to ground so that an RF electric field can beestablished between the die and the table. Thus, the RF electric fieldmay be considered as emanating from the die. For tuning the field in, acoil (not shown) extends between the block 24 and the block 28. Inaddition the die 14 is heated by conduction through two electric heatingelements (not shown) secured in the block 24. In carrying out theillustrative method the die is heated to about 100 C. by these elementsand in turn the heat emanates from the die to the materials as a heatflux.

In operating the press, the operator first arranges a template (notshown), formed complementarily to the component to be operated upon, onthe table 10, on which a Ms" thick sheet of silicone rubber has beenplaced and arranges the component U in relation thereto. The table isthen moved rearwardly and in entering its fully rearward position a lug30 depending therefrom operates an interlock valve Vla (see also FIG.4), thus enabling the press to be operated. When the table is fullyrearward the operator actuates trip valve Vlb mounted at the front ofthe press thus allowing air under pressure to pass along the line P1through the valves Vlb, Vla to switch pilot valve PVlc thus to allow airunder pressure to flow to two piston and cylinder arrangements C1mounted on the front of the housing. On depending piston rods 32 ofthese arrangements is supported, by means of brackets 34, a guard 36 ofsuitable transparent material and admission of air under pressure to thecylinders is effective to cause the guard to be lowered, against theaction of two springs 38, which are effective to raise the guard whenthe air is allowed to exhaust. The air pressure which effects thelowering of the guard is relatively light, being controlled by aregulator =R1, so that interposition of an operators hand, for example,can prevent lowering of the guard without injury to the operator.

When the guard is fully lowered two switches MSl are actuated, by lugs40 on the brackets 34, and energize solenoid valve SVZa which allows airto flow along line P2 to operate pilot valve PV2b thus to allow airunder pressure to be admitted to the piston and cylinder arrangement C2thus to cause the ram to be lowered, and the die to sever the maskinglayer and to indent the surface of the component U. At the same time airin line P2 also passes to a pressure switch PS2a through a flow controlvalve FV2c, operation of the pressure switch when the arrangement C2 hasbeen operated and the pressure allowed to build up in line P2, beingeffective to transmit a signal to the RF generator RFG whereby an RFfield is established between the die and the table to enhance fixationof the indentation already effected by the heated die in the surface.The RF generator can be set in respect of both its output and also thetime over which the RF field is generated. These will vary both fordifferent types of material and also according to the depth of theindentation desired. It has been found that for an attractive embossmenta time of 2 to 2 /2 seconds is desirable.

When the RF electric field has been applied for the desired time asignal is transmitted to solenoid 'valve SVla thus allowing air underpressure to flow along a line P3 through a shuttle valve Vle to returnpilot valve PVlc to its position shown in FIG. 4. This in turn causesthe guard to be raised and thus, through the de-energization of solenoidvalve SV2a, causes the ram to be raised too. A safety valve Vlf is alsoprovided on the front of the housing for returning the press to its restposition.

The table 10 is then moved to its forward position and component Uremoved therefrom.

In carrying out the illustrative method, the component then has an areaof its surface uncovered by the removal of portions of the severed tapeaccording to the pattern which it is desired to color, this patternedarea being defined by lines indented in said surface. The removal ofthese portions is effected manually, in carrying out the illustrativemethod, but may be otherwise effected in carrying out other methods inaccordance with the invention.

The component U thus treated is now placed in a spray booth (not shown)and the uncovered area sprayed with a suitable coloring medium. Incarrying out the illustrative method this medium may be a cellulosebased paint.

When thus painted the component U is placed in a drying unit (not shown)and when dry the remainder of the masking tape is removed.

The shoe upper component U is then ready for other shoe makingoperations; a component thus treated provides a very attractiveappearance in the finished shoe.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The method of ornamenting pliable sheet material with a coated areadefined by indentations in the sheet comprising the steps of:

(a) covering part of the sheet with a layer of masking materialadhesively secured to the sheet;

(b) engaging the sheet with a cutting die acting through the maskingmaterial to indent the sheet along an outline defining an area portionof the sheet and to deform the sheet adjacent the outline;

(c) heating the sheet and layer at the outline to sever the layer incooperation with the die engagement and to fix deformation in the sheet;

(d) removing the layer within the outline of the area portion;

(e) coating the surface of the sheet within the area portion; and then(f) removing the remaining layer from the sheet.

2. The method as in claim 1 in which the heating is effected at leastpartly by establishing an RF electric field between the cutting die asone electrode and another electrode on the opposite side of the sheetfrom the die.

3. The method as in claim 2 in which the heating is additionallyeffected by heating the cutting die.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,465,627 9/1969 Vigneault l1742,062,865 12/ 1936 Cleveland l17--4 119,710 10/1871 Hyatt, I1. 1-17-8ALFRED L. LEAVITI, Primary Examiner M. F. ESPOSIFO, Assistant Examinerus. 01. X.R.

